Samuel Manaiakalani Kamakau, a 19th-century scholar, is regarded as one of the most brilliant historians of his day. His detailed accounts of history and customs were a priceless remnant of a lifestyle that had nearly been lost in memory.Kamakau was born in 1815 at Mokule'ia on O'ahu. As a young adult, he traveled to Maui and enrolled at Lahainaluna Seminary where he was a student of the Rev. Sheldon Dibble. Dibble directed his students to systematically collect the facts and memories of the Hawaiian people before they died.
It was valuable training for Kamakau.
Between 1866 and 1871, he wrote more than 200 historical articles for the Hawaiian language newspapers Ke Au 'Oko'a and Ka Nupepa Ku'oko'a. The articles were translated and published as two important volumes of Hawai'i history: "The Ruling Chiefs of Hawai'i" in 1961 and "Ka Po'e Kahiko: The People of Old" in 1964.
Kamakau's newspaper articles often prompted strong criticism from Hawaiian readers, but the scholar could dish it out, too. His published replies were said to be hard and sarcastic.
Kamakau, who also served as judge on Maui and as a legislator for the kingdom, died in 1876.
